Facing the Past
by mckenziemorrow
Summary: They have just settled down after the Games, and Katniss and Peeta are living the perfect life; no worries and nothing to complain about. Complete with a large penthouse apartment and a cute, eccentric little dog. Until they recieve a letter that forces them to revisit the past and revisit an enemy. And the haunting memories and nightmares of the Games return.
1. Bliss

Seven years has gone by since I had last seen, nevertheless even _talked_, to Gale. Peeta and I have been married for three years, and it has been the happiest three years of my life. Nothing can describe how I'm feeling. I've been elated ever since I told him I loved him, back when we were playing the 'Real or Not Real' game. Well, to this day we still play the game; sometimes, as a joke.

There is one game that I am especially glad is over. The Hunger Games. No one understands or ever will understand the nightmares and the anxiety. The hurt and comfort that those games brought me. My mother passed away from a sickness six months before the wedding, and Prim was killed seven years ago. They year of the uprising. So since then, Peeta has been my only family.

Panem is different now. President Snow's gone. All the districts are connected, so I can easily travel to District 11, to visit the friends of Rue, which have become my friends as well. The Capitol and District 1 and 2 are the farthest away. But, it's not as if I would visit them. They hold appalling memories of the dreadful past, that I never want to revisit again. Here, safe in District 12, I have the comfort of Peeta and of my home. I have absolutely nothing to complain-or worry-about.

Peeta sneaks up behind me, while I'm working at my desk, and kisses me.

"Peeta!" I say, pushing him away.

"What?" he protests, between laughs. "Good morning!" I let him wrap his warm arms around me as we both look at the beautiful orange sunset, out the window, in front of us. I love working at this desk, because the sunlight falls right on my writing work. Over these couple years, I have become particularly fond of writing. It's a way to share my feelings, instead of saying them-which I hate to do. It's similar to why Peeta paints. He paints and I write; to just release all the tension or happiness inside of us. And it's the way we communicate often. But, right now I am working on a special project.

"So, why _are_ you up before the sun?" He pulls a chair from the kitchen table and sits beside me, peering at my writing.

I jokingly push his head away and smile at him.

"Cheese Buns is hungry," I change the subject. Peeta walks to the dog cage and lets our dog, Cheese Buns, Cheesy for short, out and he feeds him. Cheesy is quite a strange and peculiar little dog with big eyes, small ears and perpetual spasms. He jumps up and down, in excitement, at the most arbitrary occurrences and all Peeta and I can do is laugh.

Our eccentric little dog spins in circles and then jumps right _into_ his dog bowl. Eating and lounging in the food, at the same time.

Peeta makes breakfast for me and I continue working, while the sun is pouring into our cozy, sweet home. It makes dancing shadows on the walls and mingles with the plants on the wall in the living room. This is the life I live every day, and it really is a dream. We live in a large apartment with many rooms and a great, big balcony, which Peeta and I revisit some of the old times by talking out there, like we did once at the Capitol.

And another swell morning proceeds.


	2. The Letter

It is just past lunch and Peeta just walks in with the mail. He holds up a letter for me, leaves it on the counter and descends into his art-room to do the bills and perhaps paint a bit before dinner.

I stride over to see the letter, wondering who it could be from. It doesn't look like a District 11 letter, which usually has stickers all over it that the children decorate for their 'Girl on Fire'.

It has a stamp on the corner that says '2'. My breathing stops. All I can think of is Gale.

Gale.

I haven't thought about him in-more years than I can remember. I have tried not to think about the past, which brings haunting reminiscences to me.

I stare at the letter for a while before I open it.

Cheesy is pawing at my ankle, begging me to play with him. "Stop Cheesy!" I can't help but yell.

Peeta walks in, alarmed, and comes beside me. He realizes it's from 2 and takes my head into his hands and turns my face towards his. "You don't have to open it,"

"I know," I nod and turn back toward the letter. "But I…need to."

He sighs and picks up Cheesy, which seems to calm the wild dog. "If it helps, I'll leave with Cheesy while you read it." Peeta suggests, starting to move down the hallway, to our bedroom.

"Okay," is all I can say.

I slowly open the letter and the handwriting is familiar. It has improved, but it's still the same handwriting as a dear friend I once knew long ago. Gale.

I try to stop the tears from falling as I read the letter. I am glad that Peeta isn't here with me to see me crying over a letter from Gale, and reading what it says. But I want his comfort right now. I need his comfort.

_Katniss, you don't know how sorry I am. I can't blame you for not talking to me for seven years, eight months, and five days. I'm counting, Katniss. I haven't forgotten. I hope you can forgive me. I think it's time we forgot about the past and we moved on. It's hell here in District 2. I want with everything to be back in 12, hunting with you on Sundays. I wish we could go back to those old days. I am working in the factory all day until after dinner and then I rise at 3:30 to go to the factory again, building trains for the rest of Panem. I need to see you, Katniss. And if that can't happen, I need you to at least reply. Gale_

What a façade he is putting on. He doesn't want to see me that badly. If he did, then he would've traveled to 12 already. It's been seven years. If he really missed me, he would have talked to me sooner. He betrayed me and how could I ever forgive him? Never. Yes, that's the answer. I could never forgive him.

Peeta walks in and I quickly wipe a tear from my cheek. "What's Cheesy doing?" I ask, trying to act as if everything were alright.

"Never mind about Cheesy, he's outside, chasing butterflies or something. What's wrong?" he comes beside me and I hand him the letter. He reads the letter and nods, as if he expected a letter like this. "Well, are you going to see him?"

"Are you crazy, Peeta? Of course, not and you would not be okay with that."

"Katniss. I love you more than anyone else in the world ever can. But Gale has been your best friend ever since forever. Are you going to throw away all those memories?"

"Yes, I believe I can. And will." I say.

"Is that your final decision? I'm not saying you have to go. But, I recommend you make it right with Gale. I would, if I were you."

"No." I shoot back. "If you were me, you'd understand why I can't go back to 2. I just can't."

"Alright." He sighs and hands the letter back to me.

_I'm counting, Katniss. I haven't forgotten._

The words pound in my head. Maybe I should go to District 2. Maybe I should think this over. He obviously cares a little, at least, if he knows how many _days _have gone by. Well, I can't change my mind this quickly. A second ago I told myself I could never forgive him. And now, I am contemplating if I _can _forgive him. A wave of guilt moves over me as I am re-thinking what I said.

"Peeta?"

"Yeah, Kat?"

"I'm going to District 2."


	3. A Long Train Ride

The next minute, Peeta is helping me pack my bags. He's already booked a train ride for District 2 early tomorrow morning, so I say my goodbyes tonight.

"I'm excited for you," he says.

"I'm nervous. You realize the betrayal Gale did to me? You realize how much he hurt me? This is going to be hard to forgive him…or even talk to him…" My face goes hard, and not even Cheesy's perpetual lazy eye can cheer me up right now.

But, Peeta knows how to comfort me. He comes behind me, bringing me into his arms, so warm. And he kisses me. Even though I want to continue, I have to pack, so I pull away and turn towards my suitcase.

"Good morning!" Peeta says as I enter the kitchen and take a seat at the bar. He slides a plate of eggs and bacon to my spot. Cue the hallelujah chorus. What is one of the greatest things in life? Yes, food. So, as I dig into my food, like a scavenger, Peeta runs through with me the plans in which I have to know for the airport.

"Peeta, I know, I know. You've been over this with me when I visited District Four," I say.

"Just remember that I love you and everything will be fine.

"Yes," I laugh bitterly. "I hope everything will," I get dressed, Peeta grabs my luggage, and then off we are to the train station. I start to feel uneasy. But, I have been feeling uneasy since when I told Peeta I was going to 2.

He gives me a long hug and a kiss and says he loves me one last time. "Write to me," he says as I board the train.

"I will!" I call through the window. I blow him a kiss; which, may I state, is unlike me…but I am oddly noticing, lately I have been becoming less and less like myself.

I take a seat on the train and think-perhaps _over_ think-many times what I'm going to say to Gale. But my success in this is very limited, because I haven't gotten farther than "Hi, Gale. I hate you and it's going to be hard to forgive you." This is going to be a long train ride…


End file.
